This invention relates to a tubular glide housing and glide elements for a telescoping uncoupling lever of the type used on railroad cars. Uncoupling levers having L-shaped glide members of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,717 are installed on many railroad cars now in service. Upon breakage of one or more of the flexible hooks on such a glide member, the glide member may fall out of the glide housing. It is then necessary to replace the glide element which requires disassembly of the telescoping uncoupling lever in the field which may result in extended down time for a railroad car.
An object of this invention is a tubular glide housing of a telescoping uncoupling lever having glide elements which resist displacement from their glide housing even when parts thereof are damaged or worn down to the point that the lever members do not keep glide elements in place.
Another object of this invention is a glide element which is formed so that the edges of the glide element are out of contact with lever stops during operation of the uncoupling lever.
An additional object of this invention is a glide element having an integral anchoring boss which assists in maintaining the glide element in a glide housing and in its correct position.
Other objects of the invention will be found in the following specification, drawings and claims.